Starting Thursday, August 15 to Monday, September 2, 2019, Austin Restaurant Weeks sweeps through the 512, featuring prix fixes ranging from $20 lunches to $50 dinners (along with a few special offerings like $12 cocktails, sprinkled in for good measure). No doubt you’ll be planning a meal out at some point then, so be sure to visit a participating eatery or brewery. A portion of the price of each meal goes directly to the Central Texas Food Bank. Hunger is a serious issue here in Central Texas, where 1 in 7 of our neighbors can’t be sure where their next meal will come from. It’s easy to lend a hand by putting your dining dollars to work!
With over 100 restaurants and breweries, it can be a bit overwhelming to narrow down your options, but not to fret! We’ve done a little of the legwork for you and created a dynamic, “Around The World In ATX Guide” to Austin Restaurant Weeks. Cheaper than a plane ticket and for a good cause, to boot (as our Canadian friends would say!).
Peru
Grab a reservation at Yuyo, a brother and sister run East Side Peruvian-inspired restaurant from El Chile Group (El Alma, El Chile, El Chilito, Alcomar). Carlos Rivero and Executive Chef Maribel Rivero have crafted a $35 dinner menu that weaves fresh indigenous ingredients with the unique cooking techniques of South America; like Chanchito, one of the second course selections showcasing a crispy heritage pork. Veronica Y was “impressed by the technique displayed… The pork was crisp on the outside but so moist and soft inside without being fatty. And that is not an easy feat to accomplish with pork.” We suggest pairing it with any of their signature Pisco-forward cocktails!
Thailand
If you have a hankering for curry at lunchtime, Thai Fresh has a $20 prix fixe that will satiate your Southeast Asian craving. It clearly slays for Claire B: “killer vibe, killer pad Thai, killer everything.” A local favorite since 2008 for gluten-free pastries and non-dairy ice cream. The restaurant is also home to classic Thai dishes like papaya salad, tom kha, and pad kee mao. Meat eaters and veggie lovers can dine together in harmony thanks to a menu that celebrates both lifestyles using fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients.
Argentina
Sail away to Buenos Aires via Austin’s first Argentine restaurant. This family affair invites you to join them for the holy trinity of Argentine cuisine: meat, fire, and seasonal ingredients. Walking into the colorful, bright space that is Buenos Aires Café, you’ll immediately feel transported to another land. Start with warm bread service and a glass of tinto. Move on to the “best empanadas in town.” Monica R notes: “You cannot go wrong with their picante empanadas, chimichurri sauce.” Finish up with something heartier from the $50 dinner menu or enjoy a $12 specialty cocktail nightcap.
Italy
Imagine the pastabilities offered from the $20 lunch or $50 dinner at It’s Italian Cucina! Piedmontese style light appetizers ripe for an Austin summer like caprese and prosciutto and melon to carbonara and tagliatelle that “is homemade daily,” according to Kiki E, dessert will round out your carb loading and leave your sweet tooth in a state of bliss. Dine once at this South Austin eatery and you’re part of the famiglia for life!
France
Escargot to Le Politique tout suite! A $35 dinner will make you itching for a trip to the city of lights thanks to steak frites, “a classic” that Andrew G “knew would be good. The 10 oz. rib-eye didn’t disappoint with its large portion cooked to my exact request, and the fries complemented the meat nicely” or a carrot gnocchi. As only the French do, unwind from the day with a lovely cheese plate and soak in the sophisticated atmosphere and gorgeous tiling. You’ll forget you’re in the middle of Downtown.
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And just like that, your palatable passport is full! No TSA hang ups, no delayed flights…just a pure culinary adventure for the senses. While you’ve clocked a lot of meal miles already, don’t let that stop you. There’s still a ton of tables waiting for you all over ATX. Check out the full list of participating businesses and offerings in this Yelp Collection or on the Austin Restaurant Weeks website and make your reservations now for Thursday, August 15 through Monday, September 2!
